Job searching 101: Acing the interview

Job interviews are famously nerve-wracking! In what is already a stressful process, they may feel overwhelming. We wanted to share a little cheat sheet full of tips to help you ace your interview every time.

Out of all the tips on our cheat sheet, and other tips from dozens of online articles, what do we think is the most important? We asked Stephani Peterson, a Recruiter in our DC office for her opinion. “Be yourself!” is her immediate answer. “Make sure to show off your personality and confidence. The employer wants to know that you are secure in yourself, as well as your skill set. If you do not believe in yourself, how will they? Stay personable, and ALWAYS remember to ask at least 2-3 questions at the end of any interview. My personal favorite question to get from a candidate is ‘What do you love most about your job?’”

Another favorite tip? We all know being late is a huge mistake. But there’s another part to that which isn’t communicated quite as often: being too early isn’t great, either! It puts stress on staff, can throw schedules out of whack, and shows almost as much lack of planning as being late! Aim to walk in the door of the suite or building between 5-15 minutes before your scheduled interview time. If you’re earlier than that, plan to kill some time at a nearby café or park, or take a walk.